Murder in Oregon law constitutes the intentional killing, under circumstances defined by law, of people within or under the jurisdiction of the U.S. state of Oregon.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the year 2020, the state had a murder rate well below the median for the entire country. [1]
In the state of Oregon, the common law felony murder rule has been codified in Oregon Revised Statutes § 163.115. [2]
Under § 163.115, anyone in a group or alone that commits or attempts to commit a predicate felony, and in furtherance of the crime or in the immediate flight therefrom causes the death of a person other than one of the participants is guilty of murder. The predicate felonies are: [3]
§ 163.115(3) provides affirmative defenses to murder under the felony murder rule. [4] It is an affirmative defense that the defendant:
Offense | Mandatory sentencing |
---|---|
Assisting suicide (non-euthanasia) | Up to 10 years in prison |
Criminally negligent homicide | |
Second-degree manslaughter | |
Aggravated vehicular homicide | Up to 20 years in prison |
First-degree manslaughter | |
Second degree murder | Life (minimum of 25 years; 15 years if the defendant was a juvenile) |
First degree murder | Life without parole or life (minimum of 30 years for adults, 15 years if the defendant was under 18 and only an option) |
Aggravated murder | Death, life without parole, or life (minimum of 30 years for adults, 15 years if the defendant was under 18 and only an option) |